new problem with engine bog, NOT PIP

[1994Vib.RedGT]

So I just replaced my entire distriubtor after the stator went bad and caused my car to bog/cut itself off, the usual. I thought my problems were over, but goddammit their not.

Now my problem is still the bogging, but no cutting off. Last night I was going ~45 in 4th gear and all of a sudden my power dissapears, the tach does not jump or die, it maintains ~2100rpm, but its as if I had shifted into a 6th gear if I had one, it just would not accelerate, ABSOLUTLEY NO POWER . It stayed like that for ~5 seconds, then power came back for 3 seconds, then vanished once again. I said ***k it, turned the car off and turned it back on and had no problem with it the rest of the night.

then today I was coming back to my house and ~40mph in 4th it does it again .

so heres what Im fairly certain it is NOT:
1. I bought new distributor (stator included) last weekend
2. plug wires were bought last july, could be bad, but doubtful
3. got new fuel filter a couple months back, and only driven 1k miles since then, so thats doubtful too.

If anyone could throw some suggestions my way I would be much obliged.

 

[HISSIN50]

Did you notice a new PIP on your dizzy? When most companies take in cores if the old PIP tests ok on the bench, they leave it. When they do install a new PIP, they are often too lazy to line the roll-pin hole up and drill a new hole. So seeing a blank hole can be an indication that there is a new PIP.

That said, having the car get soft for a handful of seconds doesn't sound like a PIP to me. But what it is (the fuel pump cavitating for a second, etc) I would not know................... The symptom is so subtle right now that it might take a lot of legwork to narrow down (almost like watching PID's non-stop or putting the car on a scope).

Good luck.

 

[1994Vib.RedGT]

I actually did not look at the dizzy because heres what happened.

I needed the car THAT NIGHT for a date, I went to auto zone at 8am and got a remanufactured dizzy, took it and the car to the dealership, they call me at 4pm saying its not the right part and they have to order one from another supplier, so they ended up giving me a new explorer for the night then fixed it the next day and I never had the same problems I was having with the PIP (it stopped working completely).

So im fairly certain its not a PIP issue.

 

[dartvader]

its a long shot but maybe the Pip in the new distributor is bad, it happened to me
I put a new pip from napa only lasted about 5 days
just because its running doesn't mean its not the pip my car never stopped running but lost a lot of power, backfired at high rpm cutting out all sort of weird
stuff .. maybe you can borrow on from a friend just to see, and check your timing also.
good luck

 

[cbarr300]

so the car still moves....it just won't go any faster?


If that's the case....I'd say that it sounds like there's a connection loose somewhere. Check your maf and make sure it's clean/plugged in.

Either that or you have a sensor that's gone bad and its telling the computer to take out a LOT of timing.


One thing you could try (to rule out the pulling timing thing) lock your timing out by pulling the spout connector off and setting it to 26 (I think that's what most ppl lock it out..maybe someone can chime in) so the computer can't adv/retard the timing and see if that works for you.

EDIT: Can't believe I forgot this one: pull codes, even if the CEL isn't on.


good luck

 

[HISSIN50]

One thing you could try (to rule out the pulling timing thing) lock your timing out by pulling the spout connector off and setting it to 26 (I think that's what most ppl lock it out..maybe someone can chime in) so the computer can't adv/retard the timing and see if that works for you.

EDIT: Can't believe I forgot this one: pull codes, even if the CEL isn't on.


good luck

Good thoughts from Clay here. I ran locked out at 26* exactly and it worked well for me. That's neither here nor there but is just to say that this is a good figure.

You might find a FP on the outs as well............

Good luck.

 

[Dante30]

Check Signal Wires

So I just replaced my entire distriubtor after the stator went bad and caused my car to bog/cut itself off, the usual. I thought my problems were over, but goddammit their not.

Now my problem is still the bogging, but no cutting off. Last night I was going ~45 in 4th gear and all of a sudden my power dissapears, the tach does not jump or die, it maintains ~2100rpm, but its as if I had shifted into a 6th gear if I had one, it just would not accelerate, ABSOLUTLEY NO POWER . It stayed like that for ~5 seconds, then power came back for 3 seconds, then vanished once again. I said ***k it, turned the car off and turned it back on and had no problem with it the rest of the night.

then today I was coming back to my house and ~40mph in 4th it does it again .

so heres what Im fairly certain it is NOT:
1. I bought new distributor (stator included) last weekend
2. plug wires were bought last july, could be bad, but doubtful
3. got new fuel filter a couple months back, and only driven 1k miles since then, so thats doubtful too.

If anyone could throw some suggestions my way I would be much obliged.

Check the wires to the harness that connects and plugs in to your coil. I had a very similar problem to yours, couldn't figure out what it was . One day a friend and I, w/ car running wiggled the wires , caar would run irratic and/ or cut off. If those wires are corroded or not getting the best contact, it can cause all sorts of problems. In my case, those (2) coil signal wires were the culprit! Hope this helps!!!

Dante30

 

[cbarr300]

Good thoughts from Clay here. I ran locked out at 26* exactly and it worked well for me. That's neither here nor there but is just to say that this is a good figure.

You might find a FP on the outs as well............

Good luck.

the fuel pump was another thought I had. Hook up an interior fuel pressure gauge and see what your fuel pressure is while it's doing this....that'd tell you LOADS of info if you could do that.

You have 3 things that makes your engine go. Spark, fuel, and air (as I'm sure you know). You can pretty much figure that your air is good. Then check your timing (by locking it out)...if that's good...the logical process says it most likely has something to do with fuel.

If you still have the problem with the timing locked out....I'd start looking at your fuel system

also, check your fuel injector harnesses...

sorry, it's late at night and I'm just rambling.

let us know how it goes

 

[1994Vib.RedGT]

alright, back from the dead, this is the first time Ive had the car since I made this thread as Ive been at school. To lock out the timing I would have to remove that little gray plug, the spout? then do what, turn the distributor to 26*? That seems kind of high but when I did that do I just drive around like that or let it idle to see what happens?

FWIW Its only done it once again since that time I wrote about, but then again Ive only driven it once.

 

[HISSIN50]

alright, back from the dead, this is the first time Ive had the car since I made this thread as Ive been at school. To lock out the timing I would have to remove that little gray plug, the spout? then do what, turn the distributor to 26*? That seems kind of high but when I did that do I just drive around like that or let it idle to see what happens?

FWIW Its only done it once again since that time I wrote about, but then again Ive only driven it once.

For locking out timing, you got it. Right now, your timing goes from about 20* at idle to up around 40* under different conditions. So 26* all the time would be quite mild for the most part.

 

[yellow1995Cobra]

Sounds like you have some occasionaly spark jumping to ground, from the wires or plugs. Run the car in the garage with the lights out and watching it for a while looking for a blue flash... Also look for a cracked porcelin on the spark plugs, the spark will jump down the crack to the block( has happened to me).

Good luck finding it.. These types of issues suck

 

[mustang6tee8]

Check your MAF SENSOR!!!!!! This caused huge problems for me.

 

[1994Vib.RedGT]

ok, its done it two more times.

All 4 times this has happened it was in 4th gear at approx 42 mph. I cleaned my MAF sensor, and the car actually runs worse since doing that.

I pulled codes last week and I got what was either:

572 - EGR Vacuum Regulator circuit failure
OR
157-MAF sensor went below 0.4 volts during the last 80 warm-up cycles

not sure which one it would be, or even if this would have anything to do with it.

 

[HISSIN50]

Are you truely cruising when it happens or is there any acceleration occurring? It very well could be that the EGR is malfunctioning. It works only at cruise/part throttle but shuts off as you try to accelerate decently.

I'd clear the codes and get it to balk again. Yank codes immediately to see if only one or the other code returned.

The EVR regulator is in the passenger fender area IIRC. I would check it and it's line (it has one of those hard plastic lines that likes to break) from the reg to the EGR valve.

Random thoughts. Good luck.

 

[1994Vib.RedGT]

every time It has happened it has truly been at cruise, as in ive been riding at 40-45 for about a minute or so then it will drop like that for about 5 seconds then the rpms jump up and it drives normal again.